Warehouse-truck.



1 Patented Feb. 6, I900. W. F. HEFFNER.

WAREHOUSE TRUCK.

(Application filed Aug. 8, 1899.)

QNo Model.)

illllllllfll FIG NI'IED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

WAREHOUSE-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,056, dated February 6, 1900.

pplication fil d August 8,1899. Serial No. 726,024. N model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. HEFFNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Benton Harbor, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful IVarehouse-Truck, of which the following is a specification,,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawlugs.

This invention relates to warehouse-trucks.

The object of the invention is to provide a truck for warehouse and other like usesa truck for conveniently grappling a box, bale, crate, or other article or body of freight.

The invention consists, essentially, in the combination of a frame having suitable handles mounted on trucks, a clamp or grappling jaw support attached to the forward end of the frame, clamp-jaws or grapples arranged to operate in the support, a lever for operating the jaws with relation to each other, and a lock or catch for holding the jaws in clamped position.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side view. Fig. 2 is a top plan, Fig. 3 a bottom plan, and Fig. 4 a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, illustrating my invention.

1 is a frame of ordinary construction mounted upon trucks or rollers 2 in a well-known way. On the top of the frame at the forward end I secure grooved ways 3, the same consisting of metal plates bent into form to provide ways for sliding jaws or grapples 4 and 5. As shown in the drawings, the grapples or clamps are provided with a single point or projection; but in practice they may be provided with a plurality of points to take a better hold on the freight, and also, as shown in the drawings, the jaw or grapple 4 is movable with relation to jaw 5 through the medium of lever 6, so that a bale or crate may be grappled or clamped between the jaws.

For the purpose of adapting the truck to merchandise of different dimensions the jaw 5 is made adjustable through the medium of removable bolts or screws 7, and the pivot of lever 6 is adjustable in holes or perforations 8 in a thwart or bar 9 on the under side of the frame. The adjustment of the jaws toward and from each other also provides for receiving or grappling the merchandise in the middle of the frame, and thereby preserving the proper balance on the truck. Thelevor 6 and the jaws operated thereby are held in closed or clamping position by means of a rack 10, arranged on the under side of the frame, one end of which is adapted to swing toward and from a stop or knob on the lever. The pivot of the lever. 6 is conveniently made of an eyebolt, as shown in Fig. 4.

Having described my invention, what I .claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A warehouse-truck involving the combination of a frame mounted on trucks, a clampjaw support consisting of a track or way attached to the frame, clamp-jaws arranged to slide in the supports, a lever for operating the jaws, and a lock or catch for holding the jaws in closed or clamped position.

2. A warehouse-truck involving the combination of a frame mounted on trucks, a clamp- 

